Diabetes Care in the Digital Era: a Synoptic Overview

Abstract

A number of systematic reviews have examined studies on various aspects of telemedicine and eHealth for diabetes care, but they are generally focused on one specific type of technology application for diabetes care. A wide range of solutions from manual or automated telephone calls, short message services, websites, mobile health apps, remote monitoring devices, and sophisticated artificial intelligence systems has been studied in different settings and scopes with mixed results. However, despite the promising results of research studies, such innovative solutions are not widely adopted by health systems worldwide. Lack of supportive policy and legislation, unsustainable reimbursement, inefficient business models, and concerns regarding the security and privacy of health data are among the most problematic barriers.

Video consultations in primary and specialist care during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond

“…18 37 Doctors' attitudes towards video consultations were mixed, recognising possible benefits of video versus telephone consultations by providing visual cues and easier rapport building, but also highlighting concerns around burgeoning workload, 38 reimbursement, and privacy. 39 Other considerations that have not been studied include personal continuity of care and risks associated with handover. In summary, the evidence for the use of video consultations is weak.…”

Evaluation of the implementation and effect of the healthcare cloud information platform for diabetes self‐management: A case study in Shanghai

“…This country‐based, person‐centred mobile application–based management system in high‐income countries is very beneficial for diabetes management . However, in low‐income countries with poor economic conditions and poor medical conditions, it is impossible to assign a family doctor or blood glucose metre to every diabetes patient owing to the shortage of medical resources . Thus, it is practical to establish a healthcare cloud model in a community hospital that can help patients to measure their own blood glucose and actively contact the family doctors.…”

“…23 However, in low-income countries with poor economic conditions and poor medical conditions, it is impossible to assign a family doctor or blood glucose metre to every diabetes patient owing to the shortage of medical resources. 24,25 Thus, it is practical to establish a healthcare cloud model in a community hospital that can help patients to measure their own blood glucose and actively contact the family doctors. In this study, the high coverage rate of the healthcare cloud information platform and the increasing number of users fully demonstrates its practical feasibility and operability.…”

Conformity of Diabetes Mobile apps with the Chronic Care Model

“…In addition, the security and privacy of the information that patients enter is also another challenge. Although many researchers have suggested state-of-the-art technologies such as the use of intelligent lenses for continuous monitoring of patients, it has always been advised that patients themselves are aware of what information is being collected and for what purpose it is used 8 55. So, as one of the most crucial aspects of using these tools, it should be resolved by considering secure transmission and secure and private data storage.…”